Midrash sobre Gênesis 50:16

R. Simeon the son of Yohai insisted that peace-offerings were always brought for the sake of peace. R. Simeon added: Peace is considered of such importance that the Torah utters a falsehood for its sake. Where is this falsehood to be found? The Torah states: Thy father did command before he died, saying: So shall ye say unto Joseph: Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin (Gen. 50:16–17), but the fact is that we are unable to discover any such statement made by Jacob. He was aware of Joseph’s piety, and would not suspect that he would resort to bloodshed.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 1:1): NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. This text is related (to Ps. 147:3–4): WHO HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTED…. HE RECKONS THE NUMBER OF THE STARS; HE GIVES THEM ALL NAMES. When Jacob died, what is written (in Gen. 50:15)? WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD. What did they see? They saw that, as long as Jacob was alive, Joseph dined with them, and they would eat at his table. Then, when Jacob was dead, they did not eat at his table. Thus it is stated: WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD, they said: There is evil hidden in Joseph's heart; (ibid., end:) AND HE WILL SURELY REPAY US FOR ALL THE EVIL WHICH WE RENDERED HIM.⁸Cf. Gen. R. 100:8. (Vs. 16:) SO THEY SENT A MESSAGE UNTO JOSEPH, SAYING. To whom did they entrust the message? To Bilhah.⁹Cf. Rashi, on Gen. 50:16, according to whom Bilhah’s children were the messengers. Thus it is stated (in vs. 17): SO SHALL YOU SAY TO JOSEPH: PLEASE FORGIVE, PRAY (anna), <THE TRANSGRESSION AND GUILT OF YOUR BROTHERS>…. R. Abbin said: The Holy One said: You used this word anna. A high priest is going to enter the Holy of Holies and utter a synegoria¹⁰The Greek word denotes a verbal defense. for your children with this expression: Anna haShem (Pray, O Eternal One).¹¹On the Day of Atonement the high priest used these words to begin his confession over his own bullock (Yoma 3:8; 4:2). (Ibid., cont.:) AND NOW, PLEASE FORGIVE THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. "The transgression of your servants" is not written here but THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. Although your father is dead, know that his God is alive. (Ibid., cont.:) AND JOSEPH WEPT AS THEY SPOKE TO HIM. Joseph said: Thus have my brothers distrusted me. (Gen. 50:21:) SO HE COMFORTED THEM AND SPOKE TO THEM KINDLY ('al lev) of things which depend upon the heart ('al lev). He said to them: Before you came down to Egypt, the people were opposed to me, saying: He is a slave.¹²Gen. R. 100:8; PRK 16:5. Now you have been brought down and have made it known that I am the child of free < parents >. So should I kill you? They would say: Is there a person who would kill his brothers? Ergo (in Gen. 50:21): SO HE COMFORTED THEM.

Alternatively, "proclaim peace unto it" (Deuteronomy 20), See how great is the power of peace. Come see, a human of flesh and blood, if one has an enemy and wonders what to do to the enemy. What does one do? One goes and honors another greater than the enemy so that as to do evil to the enemy. But the Holy One of Blessing is not like that, rather all the idol worshipers anger God, and they sleep and all the souls rise up to him. From where do we know this? As it says, "He in Whose hand is the spirit of all life" (Job 12:10). And in the morning God returns to each and every one their soul. From where do we know this? As it says "He gives breath to the people upon it" (Isaiah 42:5). Alternatively: A human of flesh and blood, if one's friend does evil to them, it does not leave their heart for ever. But the Holy One of Blessing is not so, rather Israel was in Egypt and the Egyptians enslaved them with mortar and brick, and after all the evil they did to Israel, the Torah has mercy on them and it says "You shall not abhor an Egyptian for you were a stranger in his land" (Deut.23:8), but rather pursue peace as it is written "seek peace and pursue it". (Psalms 34:15) Another interpretation: what is "seek peace and pursue it"? A story about Rabbi Meir: he was sitting and teaching, etc, that woman went home and it was Friday evening, and she discovered that her [Shabbat] light had gone out and her husband asked her: 'where were you, out this late?' and she answered: 'I was listening to Rabbi Meir expound on Torah.' And that man was a nincompoop, and told her: 'the only way you are getting into my house is if you spit on the face of Rabbi Meir'. And he expelled her from the house. Eliahu Hanavi, may he be mentioned for good, revealed all this to Rabbi Meir, and said to him: 'it was because of you that this woman was expelled from her house.' And Eliahu Hanavi, may he be mentioned for good, informed him of all the drama. What did Rabbi Meir do?He went and sat in the big Beit Midrash, and that woman came to pray and he saw her, and pretended to be blinking [with discomfort], and said in a loud voice: 'who here knows an incantation over the eye? And she said: I know. And she spit on his face. He said to her: now go and tell your husband: I did spit on Rabbi Meir's face, he said: go back to your husband. See! How great is the power of peace. Another word: Rabbi Akiva said: know how great is the power of peace! The Holy One of Blessing said that when a man feels jealous towards his wife the very Holy Name of God which is written in sanctity is to be erased in water, in order to send [a bomb of] peace between a sotah and her husband. Resh Lakish said: so great is peace that Scripture said lying words in order to set peace between Yosef and his brothers. At the time of their father's death they were afraid that he would take revenge upon them, and what did they say "your father commanded before his death to say: such you will say to Yosef [please forgive your brothers' offense and guilt] (Gen. 50:16-17) and we do not find such a command from Yaakov our father, rather, scripture said lying words because of the ways of peace. Another interpretation: Beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to Tzion, as it says: "Ask for the peace of Jerusalem" (Ps. 122:6). Another interpretation: So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to the heaven, as it says: "The Maker of Peace on His heights / oseh shalom bimromav" (Job 25:2). Alternatively: So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to near ones and far ones, as it says "Peace peace, to the far and to the near" (Isaiah 57:19). Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing did not give it to the wicked, as it says "There is no peace, said Ad-nai, for the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to Pinchas as his reward, as it says "Behold I give him my covenant of peace". (Numbers 25:12). Alternatively: So great is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing doesn't announce to Jerusalem that they will be redeemed except in peace, as it says "Announce peace..." (Isaiah 52:7). Alternatively: R. Levi said: so beloved is peace, that all the closings of blessings are in peace. The reading of the Shema closes in peace: "Spread a sukah of peace", prayer closes in peace, the priestly blessing closes in peace "And He shall give to you peace". Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing only comforts Jerusalem with peace. From where do we know this? As it is written "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Isaiah 66:12). David said, 'I asked to hear what the Holy One of Blessing says about Israel, and I heard that God busies Godself with their peace', as it says "I will hear what God Ad-nai will speak, God will speak peace to His people, and unto his followers" (Psalms 85:9). R. Shimon Ben Chalafta said: See how beloved peace is, when the Holy One of Blessing wanted to bless Israel he found no vessel that could hold all the blessings to bless them with except for peace. From where do we know this? As it says "Ad-nai will give strength to his people, Ad-nai will bless his people with peace" / Ad-nai oz l'amo yiten. (Psalms 29:11)